salt dough ornaments

our christmas spirit is off the charts right now. last year i hosted thanksgiving, so i was focused on turkey recipes and how to set a pretty table ... but this year, i am not hosting, so i dove head first into christmas ... 

eleanor has already made her list and asks me everyday if i remember what she wants. goodness, i loved the holidays as a kid, but i love it even more as a mommy. 

anyway, the day after thanksgiving we will make our annual trip to the tree farm to pick a tree. we will bring it home and hang our candlestick lights and just a few ornaments on the tree ... usually something we have made together. all of the other ornaments that have been passed down and gifted to us will hang on our smaller tree upstairs. it's all so very fun and exciting. so much magic in this season. 

this year for our main tree we are making cranberry garland and salt dough ornaments. super easy and super fun for our little ones ... and the best part is we can put on holiday music, drink hot cocoa and spend time with one another ... making memories. 

salt dough ornaments ;

1. mix together 1 cup all purpose flour and 1/4 cup salt. blend well. 
2. while mixing, slowly add water until a dough forms (about 1/2 cup). careful not to make it too wet!
3. wrap dough in plastic and let it chill in the fridge for about twenty minutes.
4. roll out dough on floured surface and cut shapes. 
5. poke holes using a toothpick. 
6. bake in a 300 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. check often ... you want them to harden, not turn brown. 
7. lastly attach strings and decorate if you like ... one idea is using tacky glue and small beads! or just leave plain. im sure there are other ways to decorate and im sure you can find those ideas on pinterest!

side note: that wooden rolling pin belonged to my grandma who passed this summer. this morning as we rolled out the salt dough, i thought of her. there were a lot of grand children on my mom's side of the family and my grandma lived in an old schoolhouse. (very tiny) ... on christmas day when we walked into her house, there were presents stacked so high, almost to the ceiling! and they nearly covered her entire living room ... so much magic and memories during this time of year and i just love it so much. xo.